


Self Defense (One Black Man, Two White Men, One Jew, Two Homosexuals, and Three Mutants in a Taxi)

by kindkit



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Background Slash, Character of Color, Ficlet, Gen, Intersectionality, Taxis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-24
Updated: 2011-08-24
Packaged: 2017-10-23 01:05:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/244545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kindkit/pseuds/kindkit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A talk on the way from New York to Virginia.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Self Defense (One Black Man, Two White Men, One Jew, Two Homosexuals, and Three Mutants in a Taxi)

**Author's Note:**

> Please note that this story includes period-appropriate offensive (homophobic and transphobic) language.

They're a little past Philadelphia when one of the white guys who've pretty much hijacked his cab--it's Charles, the English one, the one who talks, not the one with the watchful eyes and the crazy smile--says, "You've got an extraordinary gift. Surely you're not going to waste it driving a taxi all your life?"

Nope. Never was. Darwin takes accounting classes three mornings a week. His textbook's on the passenger seat with his page marked. He promised his mom, before she passed, but he would've done it anyway.

"That's admirable," Charles says.

Darwin didn't want to believe this guy could read minds--he's white and he's rich enough that he paid $400 cash in advance, what else does he need? But some people really do inherit the earth, and it's not the meek. "Hey, you mind sticking to what I _tell_ you?"

"Sorry. I only want to understand."

Crazy Smile--Allan or Eric or something--snorts out a laugh like he's heard that before. He and Charles smile at each other, and it's crazy in a different way. Charles's arm is still stretched out along the seat behind his friend.

Uh huh. They're gonna get in trouble if they're not careful. For the first time, Darwin likes them a little. "All right," he says. "I know I'm different. But I don't see what good it'll do you. Whoever you're working for."

"We just want to help you develop your potential," Charles says. Crazy Smile gives him a look.

"What potential? I adapt. That's all. I don't control it, it just happens." Sometimes it's goddamn embarrassing, like when he fell down the stairs at the 125th Street station and turned into a Michelin Man lookalike. Good thing it was late and nobody saw him bounce but a couple of drunks. And sometimes it's freaky. Once, taking a shortcut through the wrong part of Brooklyn, he turned _white_ and didn't even notice until he saw his hands.

"Your potential to be yourself."

Sure. Happens all the time, the government--they must be government--asking you to quit your job and come and live in Virginia all expenses paid so you can be yourself.

It might be a good idea to drop them off at the next rest area and get the hell out of here.

"You can't keep it a secret forever," Crazy Smile says. The first words out of his mouth since Manhattan. "The world's going to know about mutants before long. And how can you hide what you've just said you can't control? Anyway, hiding's not safe. Not in the long run." The way he says it, like somebody who knows, makes Darwin look in the rearview mirror. Their eyes meet for a second. Darwin sees Charles's hand brush Crazy Smile's shoulder, reassuring or protective or something. Crazy Smile glances at Charles but doesn't move. "We want to make sure you--we--don't have to hide. We're going to look after ourselves, not wait around to see if we're tolerated or not."

"Actually," Charles says, "That's not quite - "

"It is, Charles. In the end, that's what we're doing. You just don't like the words."

 _Goddamn_ , Darwin thinks. _It's the Nation of Mutants. And you don't even have to pray. Or wear a suit._ "Self defense, huh?"

"Yes," Crazy Smile says. Charles shrugs.

Darwin's defenses are built in. But he's seen what can happen.

For ten miles or so he thinks about mutants. Most people, they've got a way to band together. You can see it on their skin or hear it in their accent, know it from their names. Even fairies have fag bars where they can find each other, and Darwin's seen enough of the trannies around the Village to know that they watch out for their sisters. But mutants, they're random. Pure chance, 'cause that's how natural selection works. They must be scattered everywhere, thousands of them and each one totally alone.

What would the world be like if they came together?

What would his life be like as one of them?

A hell of a lot more interesting than being an accountant.

"Tell me more," he says. The two white men in his back seat smile their different smiles.

The third mutant smiles back as Charles begins to talk.


End file.
